Features

Animation

Animation

Surround is a collection of healthcare furnishings designed to support family members in the patient room. With the flexibility to serve as a sleep surface or sofa and features to support eating, working and socialization, the Surround Collection offers family members a place to feel supported in healthcare environments. This animation highlights the features and overall reconfigurability of the Surround collection.

High-Recline Arm

The high-recline arm was designed for relaxed postures when watching TV, reading, or working on a device. Overall, the curvilinear design offers family members options for soft places to sit, lounge, recline, and relax.

Integrated Sliding Table

An integrated mobile tablet provides a surface to eat, work, take notes when communicating with the clinician, or even play games as a way to engage with visitors and the patient. The tablet can slide along the entire width of the base, and swivels to support multiple postures.

Fold-Down Sleeper

The intuitive fold-down sleep surface is designed for a comfortable overnight stay. The sleep surface can provide room for a full-grown adult to stretch out comfortably, without increasing the overall footprint of the furniture in the room.

Storage Accessories

Open, layered storage functions like an end table at home, providing an intuitive place to store personal belongings. A card tray encourages patients to display get well cards and family photos, creating a more personal atmosphere in the clinical environment. An integrated coat hook provides a place for hanging a jacket or sweater.

Ambient Light

The ambient light provides a way for family members to read, search for personal belongings and move around the room without disrupting patient rest. With this warm, comfortable light, family members can avoid turning on the overhead lighting to look for items in their overnight bags or purses.

Insights

The Challenge

SUPPORTING THE FAMILY IN THE PATIENT ROOM

Today, it’s widely recognized that family members are vital to the healing process and their continual presence is encouraged to promote involvement and partnership. Moreover, families are often invited to move beyond a visitor role, and participate in care as they are able, learning while assisting and getting a head start on post-discharge care.

Observations

FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE UNMET NEEDS

So while family presence is proven to be beneficial, what’s less well understood is how the built environment can potentially support the family member in the patient room. Steelcase recently completed a research initiative around this issue and found that, in general, healthcare environments can do more — sometimes much more — to support the roles that family members undertake.